River Khong Thai Restaurant

In Te Awamutu, River Khong Thai Restaurant is a culinary tribute to the Mekong, carrying Thai and Southeast Asian flavours to Aotearoa. Like a river’s journey, the menu moves from bright, bracing bites to deeper, lingering currents of spice, inviting diners to follow its course at their own pace.

Begin with crisp soft-shell crab, lifted by chilli lemon and garlic sauce, then linger over crying tiger: slices of grass-fed sirloin with a tangy garlic tamarind sauce that plays sweet against sour. The cooking celebrates balance and contrast, with freshness and depth meeting in satisfying harmony.

For the table, slow-cooked beef cheek massaman with potatoes, onion and peanuts brings comforting richness, while a green curry threaded with grilled steak, beans, eggplant and bamboo keeps things herbaceous. Rice and noodle staples provide a gentle anchor, from pad thai to pineapple fried rice laced with curry powder.

There is brightness in every corner: a papaya salad smashed with lemon, chilli, tomatoes and peanut, and a refreshing steak salad with herbs and cucumber. To finish, choose a croffle with ice cream, nutella, banana and almond, or deep-fried ice cream with pandan drizzle. Gather friends, follow the flavours downstream, and let River Khong carry you to a delicious confluence.